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DONE with these little flies!

I've kept my leopard gecko Olli for just under a year, I have never had this big of a problem before. I got my new cresty Levi a month and a half ago and it has been a bug nightmare.

I have had flies absolutely all over and it makes me feel like I am doing a bad job as a keeper. I had just gotten most of these little, probably fruit flies killed for a little more than a week and then everything went wrong again. My geckos are currently feeding on either
thishttp://www.rainbowmealworms.net/rain...iants-in-cups/
orhttp://www.rainbowmealworms.net/shop-giants/
These, my geckos love most. What I do to give them variety in their diet is every x amount of weeks I pick between superworms, phoenix worms, red giant, and giant mealworms, and on the rare occasion waxworms or hornworms for my leo. Ever since I got my crested all of a sudden I have [B]horrid[B] issues with flies around live food and the crested tank.
I am so sick of having to smack flies constantly. What do I do!?

To answer your fly problems: Apple cider vinegar. Put some in a cup and cover the top with saran wrap. Punch small holes in it, the flies come in but can't get out and so they die. Are you using loose substrate on your leos or cresties? If so I'd advise you to completely replace it. I don't know about fruit flies, but Knats lay eggs in the soil. So if they've gotten to soil, your best bet is to throw it out and replace it. Any plants in your home? I'd re-pot those too. I used to have a lot of Knats in my previous apartment and once I changed out the dirt they almost disappeared. The vinegar should get the last few of em, but don't be surprised if you'll have to change the soil once more.

To answer your fly problems: Apple cider vinegar. Put some in a cup and cover the top with saran wrap. Punch small holes in it, the flies come in but can't get out and so they die. Are you using loose substrate on your leos or cresties? If so I'd advise you to completely replace it. I don't know about fruit flies, but Knats lay eggs in the soil. So if they've gotten to soil, your best bet is to throw it out and replace it. Any plants in your home? I'd re-pot those too. I used to have a lot of Knats in my previous apartment and once I changed out the dirt they almost disappeared. The vinegar should get the last few of em, but don't be surprised if you'll have to change the soil once more.

No he is also eating pangea, he only eats live food once a week. I'm using loose substrate for both my geckos. So next time I clean them out I'll give switching to paper towels a go. Luckily we don't have any extra plants in the house. Thank you!

I spent 12 years as a outdoor/indoor plantscape specialist. Inside is much easier to control. Mechanical8Dragon is right about needing to strip out the substrates, more than likely there's eggs in it. You should also give the cage and any toys/bowls/stuff a good thorough washing with cage cleaner/soap (and rinse well)/bleach, in case there's eggs stuck to them. Aside from that, the apple cider traps work pretty well, but it will work a little better if you put a drop of dish soap in it. The soap will break up the water surface tension so they sink. Other than that, there is an all natural control for fungus gnats. They are nematodes (always get fresh or refrigerated, never one sitting out on a shelf). You mix their holding stuff in water, and then water your house plants. I don't think I'd use it in a pet enclosure, but it will get rid of gnats in house plants, and protect for a good long while. If someone has a lot of houseplants, or really big ones, the nematodes would probably be a lot cheaper, and definitely easier, than re-potting everything, and unless you wash off all the dirt before you re-pot, you're still going to have some gnat larva in the soil that doesn't get changed. The nematode control is kinda pricey, but it should last for 2 years or so, and one package should go quite a long ways. *I'm making a reasonable guess that what you have is probably fungus gnats, but without a picture I'm not positive. If you can get a picture of the flies, I can likely id them for you, at least to the point of general type.